PEOPLE SKILLS TRAINING FOR MANAGERS – CAN YOU AFFORD NOT TO?

OK, so I have a vested interest. Yes, I am a trainer and coach – and yes, I increasingly find myself helping managers hone their people skills. But when I started out in coaching and training I hadn’t particularly decided that was to be my focus.

My focus on people skills developed because the problems, issues and challenges which people presented me with were all challenges caused by lack of confidence or skill in dealing with people.  I found managers struggling with apathetic staff; with “difficult” staff; with de-motivated staff; with underperforming staff; with appraising staff, with recruiting the right staff; with how best to develop their staff and even with unsupportive line managers of their own!

I could go on! I guess you get the picture?

I conduct surveys with all the managers I work with, whether they attend workshops, or as part of a 1-1 coaching programme; and what’s clear is a huge proportion feel they would appreciate more help with the people side of management – and they are only too aware of the implications of poor people management. After all, most of them can tell you a story of a “nightmare” line manager they’ve had in the past and what the results of that were!

A recent CIPD/ACAS report in June this year simply reinforced what I am finding in my own practice. As we find ourselves in the rather quiet period over the summer break, I’d like to share some of their findings because this is I think, quite a good time to reflect on and plan your strategy for the final quarter of 2009.

You’re busy, so for ease, I’ll bullet some of the main points from the report which particularly struck a chord with me.

• 80% of UK managers have been asked to do things at work for which they feel they should have been given some training beforehand. (Skillsoft survey, 2008)
• 78% of UK employees identified line management as the job function in most need of additional training  (Skillsoft)
• The UK spends less per manager on management development than any other European country (Leitch review 2006)
• Half of training and development at work is now initiated by line managers, as opposed to HR or training departments. (CIPD – Who learns at work? 2008)
• 44% of employees say their line manager rarely or never coaches them (CIPD 2009)
• 33% of employees say their line manager never discusses their training and development needs (CIPD 2009)

What are the implications of all this? Does it really matter? Does it make a difference to the outcome if a line manager is feeling uncertain how best to tackle some of the most common people issues?

Ruth Spellman, CEO of the Chartered Management Institute says this about training:

“If you think it’s expensive to have really competent people, try incompetent.”

How much does it cost you in wasted time dealing with conflict? (OPP Research , 2008, shows an average of 12 days a year are spent dealing with conflict in the workplace – more than time lost to absence).

How much does it cost you in time and money dealing with disciplinary or grievance procedures?

How much does it cost you to find, hire and re-train new staff because valuable, experienced staff  are leaving?

Study after study shows a huge proportion of employees leave bosses, not companies.

What’s heartening for me is that in my experience, as with all employees, managers want to do a good job. They want to be able to encourage a culture where people communicate well, where they give of their discretionary effort, where they are committed, loyal and enthusiastic, and where they have fun, learn and produce good results.

But with the exception of a very few, naturally talented and skilled communicators (and even these will tell you there is always room for improvement!), most managers come to the role with little or no understanding of basic human psychology and how to successfully and consistently apply techniques which will ensure they get the best out of themselves and others.

So as we head for the final quarter of 2009, what are you doing to support and develop the most critical roles in your organisation?

Money may be tight – but rather than simply take the simplest, and least creative route of putting all management development “on hold”, why not take the time in these quieter summer weeks to ask a more creative question:

“How can we still support and develop our managers despite financial pressures?”

You may not be able to justify the “bells and whistles” programme you had planned – but that doesn’t mean there aren’t ways you can still give some support. There’s a book called “Guerrilla Marketing” by Jay Conrad Levinson, which gives brilliant ways of marketing on a shoestring.  Perhaps it’s time to write a book called “Guerrilla training for managers!”

As a coach, I know it’s more about asking the right questions, to help you come up with better answers! So ask yourself what you can do to support your managers in the next 3 months and see what you come up with!

After all – you might actually find you save a bob or two!

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For more information to help you with the people side of management,
including how to improve employee motivation and get the best out of your team, take a look at these great resources:

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Management Skill Training – Can You Not Afford To?

OK, so I have a vested interest. Yes, I am a trainer and coach – and yes, I increasingly find myself helping managers hone their people and management skills. But when I started out in coaching and providing management skill training I hadn’t particularly decided that was to be my focus.

My focus on people skills developed because the problems, issues and challenges which people presented me with were all challenges caused by lack of confidence or skill in dealing with people. I found managers struggling with apathetic staff; with “difficult” staff; with de-motivated staff; with underperforming staff; with appraising staff, with recruiting the right staff; with how best to develop their staff and even with unsupportive line managers of their own!

I could go on! I guess you get the picture?

I conduct surveys with all the managers I work with, whether they attend workshops, or as part of a 1-1 coaching and training programme for managers; and what’s clear is a huge proportion feel they would appreciate more help with the people side of management – and they are only too aware of the implications of poor people management. After all, most of them can tell you a story of a “nightmare” line manager they’ve had in the past and what the results of that were!

People and Management Skill Training - CIPD Report

A recent CIPD/ACAS report in June this year simply reinforced what I am finding in my own practice. As we find ourselves in the rather quiet period over the summer break, I’d like to share some of their findings because this is I think, quite a good time to reflect on and plan your strategy for the final quarter of 2009.

You’re busy, so for ease, I’ll bullet some of the main points from the report which particularly struck a chord with me.

• 80% of UK managers have been asked to do things at work for which they feel they should have been given some training beforehand. (Skillsoft survey, 2008)
• 78% of UK employees identified line management as the job function in most need of additional training (Skillsoft)
• The UK spends less per manager on management development than any other European country (Leitch review 2006)
• Half of training and development at work is now initiated by line managers, as opposed to HR or training departments. (CIPD – Who learns at work? 2008)
• 44% of employees say their line manager rarely or never coaches them (CIPD 2009)
• 33% of employees say their line manager never discusses their management skill training and development needs (CIPD 2009)

What are the implications of all this? Does it really matter? Does it make a difference to the outcome if a line manager is feeling uncertain how best to tackle some of the most common people issues?

Ruth Spellman, CEO of the Chartered Management Institute says this about management training:
“If you think it’s expensive to have really competent people, try incompetent.”

How much does it cost you in wasted time dealing with conflict? (OPP Research , 2008, shows an average of 12 days a year are spent dealing with conflict in the workplace – more than time lost to absence).

How much does it cost you in time and money dealing with disciplinary or grievance procedures?

How much does it cost you to find, hire and re-train new staff because valuable, experienced staff are leaving?

Study after study shows a huge proportion of employees leave bosses, not companies.
What’s heartening for me is that in my experience, as with all employees, managers want to do a good job. They want to be able to encourage a culture where people communicate well, where they give of their discretionary effort, where they are committed, loyal and enthusiastic, and where they have fun, learn and produce good results.

But with the exception of a very few, naturally talented and skilled communicators (and even these will tell you there is always room for improvement!), most managers come to the role with little or no understanding of basic human psychology and how to successfully and consistently apply techniques which will ensure they get the best out of themselves and others.

So as we head for the final quarter of 2009, what are you doing to support and develop the most critical roles in your organisation?

Money may be tight – but rather than simply take the simplest, and least creative route of putting all management skill training and management training resources development “on hold”, why not take the time in these quieter summer weeks to ask a more creative question:

“How can we still support and develop our managers despite financial pressures?”

You may not be able to justify the “bells and whistles” programme you had planned – but that doesn’t mean there aren’t ways you can still give some support. There’s a book called “Guerrilla Marketing” by Jay Conrad Levinson, which gives brilliant ways of marketing on a shoestring. Perhaps it’s time to write a book called “Guerrilla training for managers!”

As a coach, I know it’s more about asking the right questions, to help you come up with better answers! So ask yourself what you can do to support your managers in the next 3 months and see what you come up with!

After all – you might actually find you save a bob or two!

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For more information to help you with the people side of management,
including how to improve employee motivation and get the best out of your team, take a look at these great resources:

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